Recliner-rocker chair with a handle operated footrest



Oct. 28, 1969 H. CRAWFORD RECLINER-ROGKER CHAIR WITH A HANDLE OPERATEDFOOTREST Filed Dec. 11, 1967 9 A. WFORD 3,475,051

RECLINER-ROCKER CHAIR WITH A HANDLE OPERATED FOOTREST Filed D86. 11,1967 I 4 shets-sheet 2 70c b INVENTOR ALLAN H. CRAWFORD v Oct. 28, 1969A. H. CRAWFORD RECLINER-ROCKER CHAIR WITH A HANDLE OPERATED FOOTRESTFiled Dec. 11, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 0 RR m Mo N 5% H NW A L L Y B N OmRECLlNER-ROCKER CHAIR WITH A HANDLE OPERATED FOOTREST Filed Dec. 11,1967 Oc 2 1969 A. H, CRAWFORD 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ALLA N H.CRAWFORD United States Patent 3,475,051 RECLINER-ROCKER CHAIR WITH AHANDLE OPERATED FOOTREST Allan H. Crawford, Amsterdam, N.Y., assignor toM0- hasco Industries, Inc., Amsterdam, N.Y., a corporation of New YorkFiled Dec. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 689,427 Int. Cl. A47c 1/022, 3/02 US. Cl.297-69 25 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A recliner-rocker having ahandle operated actuating footrest having two-way detent means thereonto allow positive positioning of the footrest in a plurality ofpositions, and which allows the footrest to be moved from its collapsedposition to any of the plurality of positions and directly collapsedfrom any such position without the necessity of requiring that thefootrest be extended to its fully extended position before beingcollapsed.

The present invention relates to chairs and more particularly to afootrest actuating means for use on chairs having a footrest which ismovable from a collapsed position to a plurality of extended positionswhere the footrest will support the legs of an occupant sitting in thechair. The invention is capable of being used on chairs of the recliningand non-reclining type and in one embodiment finds particularlyadvantageous use on chairs of the platform rocker type. In theembodiment described herein, the invention is shown in a chair of thelatter type.

Platform rocking chairs are well known in the art. Such chairs compriseessentially a chair frame mounted on a platform which chair is rockableto and fro thereon. These chairs carry an extended footrest which may bemoved from an at home position, wherein the footrest lies closelyadjacent to the front of the chair, to an extended position where itserves as a footrest to support the legs of a person sitting in suchchair. The footrest of such chairs has traditionally been capable ofachieving two fixed positions, that is, the normal at home position, anda fully extended position. At least one chair has been developed whereinthe footrest may be moved to a position or positions intermediate the athome position, that is, the footrest may be moved from its at homeposition to its fully extended position and, additionally, it may bemoved to intermediate positions. The latter chair is equipped with aone-way detent means to lock the footrest in extended positions. r

In chairs of the platform rocker type, the chair should be extremelysimple in operation and constructed in such manner that there is aminimum of interference with the movable structure thereof. In thisconnection, I have found shortcomings in the chairs of the prior art,namely,

when the handle is actuated to move thefootrest to an extended position,it frequently happens that the chair will tend to rock forward while thefootrest is being moved away from its retracted position. In such anevent the footrest will tend to rub the floor and its extending movementwill be interferred with. Additionally, in the case of a chair equippedwith a one-way detent means for locking the footrest in intermediatepositions, it has been observed that if the chair is in any one of itsintermediate positions, and it is desired to return the footrest homefrom such intermediate position, the footrest must first move to itsfully extended position in order to release the detent means to permithomeward movement of the footrest.

An object of this invention is to provide apparatus which overcomes thedifficulties above mentioned, that is, a simple and efiicient apparatuswhich, in the case of a platform rocker, serves to block forward rockingmovement of the chair during movement of the footrest and, additionally,in rockers or non-rockers, provides for the movement of the footrestfrom its at home position to a plurality of well defined extendedpositions, and which is further operable to allow the footrest to bereturned to its home position directly from any one of its extendedpositions.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features, andadvantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated byreference to the following detailed description of a presentlypreferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment, demonstratingfeatures of the present invention, when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view, with parts broken away and sectioned, showing aportion of the structure of the instant invention and taken along theline 11 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a portion of the structure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a portion of the footrest actuating means takenalong the line 3-3 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the apparatus of FIG. 3in one of its actuated positions.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the apparatus of FIG. 3 inanother of its actuated positions.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the structure utilized to block the chair fromrocking forward upon initial movement of the footrest actuating handle,taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the footrest actuating and rocker blockingstructure in one of its actuated positions.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the footrest actuating and rocker blockingstructure in another of its actuated positions.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a portion of the footrest actuating meanstaken along the line 99 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a base comprising side members 20 joined bytransverse frame members 21 supports, for rocking movement thereon, achair 22. The chair has side frame members 24, 24a joined together by aplurality of transversely extending frame members 25. Secured to each ofthe side frame members 24, 24a is a rocker member 26 which rockermembers rest atop the base frame members 20 and are suitably rockablyconnected thereto to allow the chair 22 to rock on such base members 20.The side frame members 24, 24a support a back assembly 28, a seatassembly 30, and a footrest assembly 32, all as more particularlydescribed below. Mounted on the side frame member 24 is a main framemember 26 which may be secured to the side frame member by a pluralityof fasteners 38.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a main frame membersimilar to the member 36 is carried by the side frame member 24a, andthe structure of FIG. 1 shown mounted on the member 36 is duplicated onsuch second frame member except as hereinafter described.

A forward carrier link 40 and a rear carrier link 42 are carried by themain frame member 36 on pivots 44 and 46. Each of these carrier links 40and 42 is pivotably connected at its end remote from its main frameconnection to a seat frame supporting link 48, and, carried by the pairof seat frame supporting links 48 is a seat frame 50 which may carry asuitably cushioned and up holstered cushion, not shown.

The footrest assembly 32 is movably supported on the main frame member36 by an extensible linkage carried on a pair of pivots 52 and 54. Thefootrest link 56 carried on the pivot 54 is connected to a footrestactuating link 58 by means of a pivot 60. The footrest actuating link 58is, in turn, connected at its end remote from the pivotable connection60 to a detent plate member 62 loosely carried on a bushing 64, FIG. 9,which bushing has a square aperture formed therein and is fitted to asquare offset shaft 66. An over center spring is suitably connectedbetween the footrest link 56 and the main frame member 36 to bias thefootrest in its various positions and aid in the elevation of suchfootrest after the spring travels over center of the pivot 54. A furtherdescription of the footrest actuating means is given below, but suificeit to say for the present that, when the footrest actuating link 58 ismoved rearwardly, that is, to the right in FIG. 1, the footrestsupporting link 56 is rotated in a clockwise direction, FIG. 1, toextend the footrest linkage and move the footrest 33 forwardly andupwardly.

The aforementioned square shaft 66 extends transversely of the chair andis journaled in bushings 68 freely to tatable in openings formed in theframe members 36. One end of the shaft 66 extends through an opening inthe righthand side frame member 24 and has fastened to it a handle 69which handle is utilized to rotate the shaft 66, as hereinafterdescribed, to extend the footrest. A shield member 70 having a squareaperture formed therein is fitted to the shaft 66 alongside theaforementioned plate member 62. A pair of rivets 71, 72 pass through thebushings 64 and 68 and the shield member 70. Thus, whenever the handle69 is rotated, the shaft 66, the shield member 70, and both bushings 64and 68 will always rotate in unison about the axis of the shaft 66, Thenotches on the shield member 70 are each defined by two graduallysloping edges, while the notches on the plate 62 are each defined by oneabrupt edge, and one gradually sloping edge such as the edges 104a,105a, 106a of the notches 104, 105, and 106, respectively.

A pin 72 is secured to the detent plate 62. This pin 72 extends througha slot 74 formed in the shield member 70. A crank member 82 carrying adetent pin 83 is rotatably mounted on a stud 84 carried by the mainframe member 36, which crank member is spring biased in a clockwisedirection, FIG. 1, by a spring 86 secured between said crank and a pin87 carried by the frame member 36. Spring biased movement of the crank82 is limited by a stop pin 88 fixed to the frame member 36.

An upstanding notched member 90, FIGS. 2 and 6, is secured to theforward transverse frame member 21. R- tatably carried by a pin 92carried by a bracket 94 fixed to the transverse frame member 25a is apawl member 940 carrying a pin 94b, which pawl is spring biased by aspring 95 in a clockwise direction, FIG. 6, towards cooperatingrelationship with the ratchet 90. Attached to the distal end of the pawl94a, by a bracket 97, is a chain 98, which chain is connected at itsother end to a bracket 101 secured to the aforementioned shaft 66,

The footrest actuating mechanism is shown in its normal position inFIGS. 1 and 3. When the handle 69 is actuated to extend the footrest,the shaft 66 is rotated clockwise in FIGS. 1 and 7 and counterclockwisein FIGS. 3, 4, and 5.

When it is desired to extend the footrest 33 from its normal position ofFIG. 1, the handle 69 rotates, as above mentioned, clockwise in FIG. 1.Such action causes the shaft 66, FIGS. 1 and 6, to move in a similardirection which immediately releases, for spring actuated clockwisemovement, the pawl 94, FIG. 6, and allows the pawl 94a to engage theratchet 90. Such action blocks the rocker from thereafter rockingforward and thereby minimizes the possibility that the footrest, as itswings outwardly, will touch the floor. Should it be desired to preventthe pawl 94 from engaging the ratchet 90 until the footrest has beenslightly extended, the length of the chain 98 may be shortened. Thiswould tend to prevent blocking engagement of the ratchet and pawl in theevent the handle was rotated inadvertently during, say, rocking movementof the chair, with no intention of extending the footrest, I have foundsuch mode of operation to be desirable as well as that previouslydescribed. Continued movement of the handle in the clockwise directionof FIG. 1 causes the shaft 66 to rotate further counterclockwise in FIG.3. Such continued movement, keeping in mind that the shield 70 issecured to the shaft 66, causes the shield 70 to eventually engage thepin 72 against the rightmost end of the slot 74. When the pin 72 isengaged by the rightmost end of the slot 74, the notches in both theshield 70 and the plate 62 are aligned, and continued movement of theshaft 66 in counterclockwise direction, FIG. 3, will cause the shield 70and plate 62 to move in unison with their slots aligned. When the detentplate 62 moves, it pulls the link 58 rearwardly to move the footresttowards its extended position. As the shield 70 and plate 62 movecounterclockwise, FIG. 3, the detent pin 83 follows their contour and,whenever a pair of aligned notches present themselves to the pin 83,such pin will, due to the action of the spring 86, engage in suchnotches to lock the plate 62 and footrest 24 in its correspondingextended position, that is, when the pin 83 is in the notch 104, asshown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the footrest will be locked in its firstextended position; when the pin 83 is in the notch 105, the footrestwill be locked in a second extended position; and when the pin 83 is inthe notch 106, FIGS. 5 and 8, the footrest will be locked in its fullyextended position. In this position, extending movement of the footrestmay be limited by abutment of the lower edge 58a of the actuating link58 with the edge 70d of the shield member 72, FIG. 5, or any othersuitable stop means, for example a pin suitably positioned on the framemember 36.

When it is desired to return the footrest to its normal, at home,position of FIG. 1, the handle 69 is merely rotated in a direction theopposite of that necessary to extend the footrest, and this isregardless of whether the position from which it is desired to returnthe footrest is the aforementioned first, second, or third extendedposition, corresponding to the engagement of the pin 83 with the slots104, 105, 106, respectively. For example, if the footrest is in itsfirst extended position and the pin 83 is in the slot 104, rotating thehandle counterclockwise, FIG. 7, will cause the shaft 60 to rotateclockwise, FIG. 4. The shield 70, because of its being fixed to theshaft 66, will immediately move clockwise, FIG. 4, and cam the pin 83out of the slot 104. At this point, the positions of the members 70 and62, relative to each other, will be as shown in FIG. 3, i.e., theleftmost end of the slot 74 will now engage the pin 72, and continuedmovement of the handle 69, shaft 66, and shield 70 will cause the plate62 to move in unison therewith to move the footrest actuating link 58forward, and thereby bring the footrest home until such movement ishalted by engagement of the plate 62 with a stop pin 74 fixed to themain frame member 36.

If, for example, the pin were engaged in the slot 106, as shown in FIG.5, and the sequence just described were followed, the detent pin 83would similarly be cammed out of the slot 106 by the leading inclinededge 70a of the shield 70 and, thereafter, be prevented from enteringeither of the slots or 104 inasmuch as, as these slots passed the areawhere the pin 83 would be in a position to enter them, the surfaces 70band 70c, respectively, would block the pin from entering such slot.

During final homeward movement of the shaft 66, the pawl 94a isdisengaged from the ratchet 90, in a movement the reverse of theengaging movement above described.

- Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A chair comprising, a frame having seat and back portions, anextendible footrest carried by said frame, said footrest being actuablefrom a first collapsed position where it is positioned closely adjacentsaid frame to a plurality of extended positions, means actuable toactuate said footrest in a first direction to move it from saidcollapsed position to each of said plurality of extended positions, locksaid footrest against collapsing movement in each of said plurality ofsaid positions, and there after return said footrest in a seconddirection only from any of said extended positions to said collapsedposition, said means for actuating said footrest including first andsecond actuating plates having a lost motion connection therebetween, afootrest actuating handle, a shaft operable upon movement of saidhandle, said first actuating plate being fixed to said shaft and saidsecond actuating plate loosely carried on said shaft and pivotallyconnected to footrest actuating link.

2. A platform rocking chair comprising a base, a chair rockably mountedon said base for rocking movement forwardly and backwardly, said chaircomprising a frame, an extendible footrest carried by said frame, saidfootrest being actuable from a first collapsed position where it ispositioned closely adjacent said frame and the surface supporting saidbase to an extended position, blocking means carried by said base,engaging means carried by said frame, actuating means actuable in afirst direction to move said engaging means into engagement with saidblocking means to block forward rocking movement of said chair, saidactuating means thereafter actuable to move said footrest to itsextended position, said means for actuating said footrest includingfirst and second actuating plates having a lost motion connectiontherebetween, a footrest actuating handle, a shaft operable uponmovement of said handle, said first actuating plate being fixed to saidshaft and said second actuating plate loosely carried on said shaft andpivotally connected to a footrest actuating link.

3. A platform rocking chair comprising a base, a chair rockably mountedon said base for rocking movement forwardly and backwardly, said chaircomprising a frame, an extendible footrest carried by said frame, saidfootrest being actuable from a first collapsed position where it ispositioned closely adjacent said frame and the surface supporting saidbase to an extended position, blocking means carried by said base,engaging means carried by said frame, actuating means actuable in afirst direction to move said engaging means into engagement with saidblocking means to block forward rocking movement of said chair, saidactuating means thereafter actuable to move said footrest to itsextended position, lock said footrest in said extended position, andthereafter return said footrest in a second direction only from saidextended position to said collapsed position, said means for actuatingsaid footrest including first and second actuating plates having a lostmotion connection therebetween, a footrest actuating handle, a shaftoperable upon movement of said handle, said first actuating plate beingfixed to said shaft and said second actuating plate loosely carried onsaid shaft and pivotally connected to a footrest actuating link.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein, each of said plates has a pluralityof notches formed therein.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein, during movement of said footrest insaid first direction, notched portions of each of said plates are inalignment.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein, during movement of said footrest insaid second direction the notches on each of said plates are disaligned.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said means for locking said footrestincludes a detent pin carried by said frame and engageable with thenotches of said second actuating plate.

8. The invention of claim 2 wherein, each of said plates has a pluralityof notches formed therein.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein, during movement of said footrest insaid first direction, notched portions of each of said plates are inalignment.

10. The invention of claim 9 wherein, during movement of said footrestin said second direction the notches on each of said plates aredisaligned.

11. The invention of claim 10 wherein, said means for locking saidfootrest includes a detent pin carried by said frame and engageable withthe notches of said second actuating plate.

12. The invention of claim 3 wherein, each of said plates has aplurality of notches formed therein.

13. The invention of claim 12 wherein, during movement of said footrestin said first direction notched portions of each of said plates are inalignment.

14. The invention of claim 13 wherein, during movement of said footrestin said second direction the notches on each of said plates aredisaligned.

15. The invention of claim 14 wherein, said means for locking saidfootrest includes a detent pin carried by said frame and engageable withthe notches of said second actuating plate.

16. A platform rocking chair comprising a base, a chair rockably mountedon said base for rocking movement forwardly and backwardly, said chaircomprising a frame, an extendible footrest carried by said frame, saidfootrest being actuable from a first collapsed position where it ispositioned closely adjacent said frame and the surface supporting saidbase to an extended position, blocking means carried by said base,engaging means carried by said frame, actuating means actuable in afirst direction to move said footrest from its collapsed position andthereafter move said engaging means into engagement with said blockingmeans to block forward rocking movement of said chair, said actuatingmeans thereafter actuable to move said footrest to its extendedposition, said means for actuating said footrest including first andsecond actuating plates having a lost motion connection therebetween, afootrest actuating handle, a shaft operable upon movement of saidhandle, said first actuating plate being fixed to said shaft and saidsecond actuating plate loosely carried on said shaft and pivotallyconnected to a footrest actuating link.

17. A platform rocking chair comprising a base, a chair rockably mountedon said base for rocking movement forwardly and backwardly, said chaircomprising a frame, an extendible footrest carried by said frame, saidfootrest being actuable from a first collapsed position where it ispositioned closely adjacent said frame and the surface supporting saidbase to an extended position, blocking means carried by said base,engaging means carried by said frame, actuating means actuable in afirst direction to move said footrest from its collapsed position andthereafter move said engaging means into engagement with said blockingmeans to block forward rocking movement of said chair, said actuatingmeans thereafter actuable to move said footrest to its extendedposition, lock said footrest in said extended position, and thereafterreturn said footrest in a second direction only from said extendedposition to said collapsed position, said means for actuating saidfootrest including first and second actuating plates having a lostmotion connection therebetween, a footrest actuating handle, a shaftoperable upon movement of said handle, said first actuating plate beingfixed to said shaft and said second actuating plate loosely carried onsaid shaft and pivotally connected to a footrest actuating link.

18. The invention of claim 16 wherein, each of said plates has aplurality of notches formed therein.

19. The invention of claim 18 wherein, during movement of said footrestin said first direction, notched portions of each of said plates are inalignment.

20. The invention of claim 19 wherein, during movement of said footrestin said second direction the notches on each of said plates aredisaligned.

21. The invention of claim 20 wherein, said means for locking saidfootrest includes a detent pin carried by said frame and engageable withthe notches of said second actuating plate.

22. The invention of claim 17 wherein, each of said plates has aplurality of notches formed therein.

23. The invention of claim 22 wherein, during movement of said footrestin said first direction, notched portions of each of said plates are inalignment.

7 8 24. The invention of claim 23 wherein, during move- 2,963,07712/1960 Knabusch et a1 297-265 ment of said footrest in said seconddirection the notches 3,096,121 7/1963 Knabusch et a1 297-269 on each ofsaid plates are disaligned. 3,138,402 6/ 1964 Heyl et a1. 297-69 25. Theinvention of claim 24 wherein, said mean 3,237,059 11/1966 Rosmarin297-69 for locking said footrest includes a detent pin carried by 53,325,210 6/1967 Knabusch et 1 297 2 9 said frame and engageable withthe notches of said sec- 3,371,958 3/1968 caldemeyer et a1.

0nd actuating plate.

References Cited JAMES T. McCALL, Primary Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS10 U S C1 X R,

2,746,519 5/ 1956 Krikorian 297-269 297-85, 271 2,776,703 1/ 1957Belisle 297-269

